By Nicolas Ayala
JoJo Siwa — the sparkly, high-energy pop icon who first exploded into mainstream consciousness on Dance Moms — is undergoing one of the most publicly personal metamorphoses of her career inside the Celebrity Big Brother UK house. But this time, it’s not about sequins or signature bows. It’s about identity, self-expression, and what it truly means to be queer in 2024.
Siwa’s journey through the controversial, chaotic, and often confining environment of the CBB house has given her a platform to explore and articulate her evolving relationship with gender and sexuality. And in a series of candid, unscripted moments with fellow housemate Danny Beard — a RuPaul’s Drag Race UK champ — Siwa broke down her shift from identifying as a lesbian to embracing the more fluid and inclusive label of “queer.”
Celebrity Big Brother UK turned into a crucible for queer self-discovery
“I feel, like, so queer, do you know what I mean?” Siwa said during a livestreamed conversation with Beard. “I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian, and I think being here I’ve realized: ‘Oh, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer.’ And I think that’s really cool.”
Her playful quip — “I’m switching letters! I’ve dropped the L and I’ve gone to the Q, baby!” — belies the deeper significance of what she’s experiencing. For a star who once branded herself as the “CEO of gay pop,” Siwa’s willingness to publicly question and revise her identity is nothing short of powerful. It’s a reminder that queer journeys aren’t linear, and that visibility matters, especially when it comes to the messy middle of self-discovery.
Earlier in the season, Siwa also opened up about her gender identity, admitting she feels a stronger connection to non-binary individuals than to either male or female categories. “It’s — I don’t know — it’s not something that I want to say about myself yet, but it’s something that is confusing,” she explained. These reflections come straight from the heart, unscripted and unfiltered — and that’s what makes them resonate.
From label-breaking to real talk: How JoJo Siwa is redefining queer visibility
What makes Siwa’s CBB arc especially poignant is the context in which it’s unfolding. Only weeks earlier, the 21-year-old faced homophobic and misogynistic attacks from fellow housemate Mickey Rourke, whose cringe-worthy comments about her sexuality led to his early ejection from the show. Rourke’s departure was swift, but the sting of his words — including a disturbing jab implying her queerness could be “corrected” — served to underscore just how necessary Siwa’s bold presence in the house really is.
“I can guarantee I'll still be gay and I'll still be in a very happy relationship,” Siwa shot back during the incident, demonstrating not only her resilience but her commitment to living authentically, no matter the scrutiny.
And live authentically she does. Currently dating influencer Kate Webbs, Siwa recently expressed deep contentment with her relationship, calling it “very mature” and praising it for teaching her about “love and respect.” It’s a far cry from the bubblegum pop image some may still associate her with — and that’s precisely the point. Siwa is growing up, and she’s taking her audience with her.
Queer means evolving: Why JoJo Siwa’s journey is a win for LGBTQ representation
Four years after first coming out, and after cycles of identifying as pansexual, lesbian, and now queer, Siwa’s journey is emblematic of a larger cultural shift. Younger generations — and many in the LGBTQ community — are increasingly embracing fluidity over fixed categories. As Siwa herself puts it, “That’s what I love about sexuality.”
Her refusal to be boxed in mirrors the very essence of queer identity: a spectrum, not a checkbox. And in a media landscape that so often demands neat definitions, Siwa’s messy, beautiful exploration is nothing short of revolutionary.
It’s the kind of storyline you’d expect from a Marvel or DC comics character — the hero who evolves not through battles with villains, but through internal reckonings with identity and truth. Siwa may not be donning a cape, but her courage inside the CBB house is every bit as heroic.
JoJo Siwa’s queer journey proves that sexuality is about freedom, not fixation
JoJo Siwa’s time on Celebrity Big Brother UK isn’t just another celebrity reality stint. It’s a microcosm of modern queer experience — full of contradictions, growth, pain, and joy. It’s about dropping old labels and picking up new ones. It’s about loving freely and questioning boldly. It’s about being queer, in every sense of the word.
And maybe that’s the most superheroic thing of all.